Mark My Words Blog
Welcome to ‘Mark My Words,’ the digital sanctuary where insight meets intrigue, and commentary sparks contemplation.
Delve into the dynamic world of PR maverick Mark Borkowski as he unravels the threads of media, culture, and communication. Mark’s blog is a treasure trove of industry wisdom, offering a backstage pass to the inner workings of publicity and the ever-evolving landscape of modern media.
One I wish I hadn't made earlier!
I think I am going, as Cypress Hill so memorably articulated, “insane in the membrane”. The cause of this mental collapse is down to the fact that good old Blue Peter has joined the ever-growing and ever sorrier-looking list of TV folk who have been banged to rights for faking phone ins. What in blazes is going on? How can so many formats be under such scrutiny? The press is becoming obsessed, as they feast on more and more scandals surrounding premium rate number quizzes. Apparently, Blue Peter viewers had been asked to phone the show on a premium rate…
Byrne Baby Byrne
The venerable Colin Byrne has started a blog. The round robin email today outlined his trepidation. “Today I lost my blogger virginity with the launch of my own blog – www.byrnebabybyrne.com. Huge thanks to my colleagues James Warren and Rachel Hunter on this and to pals like David Brain for showing me how it can be done. My first time – be gentle with me!” Colin
Publicists of the Silver Screen
The deeper I research the history of the lost Hollywood publicists, the more I feel like I’m staring down the barrel of a shotgun or looking into a dark well. Trawling through libraries, websites and text books, I have quickly realised that history, in the PR arena, is something that doesn’t get the respect it deserves, American movie history in particular. Its protagonists are considered to be old crinklies, plodding down Sunset Boulevard on a zimmer. Celluloid history demands that everyone involved should be as glamorous as the 30’s starlets on the screen. There is no respect for the aged…
Starbucks brews up music label
Hear Music a ‘natural next step’ for the coffee behemoth and music retailer, says Starbucks boss. Sir Paul McCartney rumoured to be the first artist to sign to label Rosie Swash: Guardian Unlimited http://music.guardian.co.uk/news/story/0,,2032739,00.html
The Power Of The Freud
Just as a thousand liggers sharpened their patter to pass the clipboard test to slither into post Oscar parties, four days later in London I suspect the wannabes will try to assemble at Matthew Freud’s send off hurrah for his arch lieutenant, Kris Thykier. Tonight’s bash promises to mimic some of the sumptuous parties that attracted the film glitterati in la la land. It has to be a fitting send off to mark the passing of a Freudian legend. I suspect it is not the whiff of vintage champagne and gourmet canapés that is enticing, but the promise of a…
COME PRAY WITH ME PLEASE MR PAISLEY
“Tony Blair has forged a special bond with the Rev Ian Paisley, the DUP leader who holds the future of the Northern Ireland peace process in his hands, by discussing their common interest in and commitment to Christianity… “Blair is brilliant at seducing Paisley,” Lord Bew said. “This is the most amazing love affair, the last great Blairite romance. They are even exchanging books on religion. It is fantastic stuff. It is religious; it is romantic. It is brilliant.” The Guardian, Wednesday, March 14 The Borkowski poet in residence imagines what the Prime Minister might have said to Paisley. Come…
More art on the streets please
Flyposting is a thing of the past. Thanks to Camden Council. Pete Strange, the oddly titled Boulevard Project Manager, Camden Council, managed to get Anti-Social Behaviour Order (ASBO) served on those heroic street guerrillas a couple of years ago that made our streets less interesting According to the Guardian at the time ” Camden employed five council officers last year to deal with flyposting, which costs taxpayers in the borough around £250,000 per year.” Well I am glad to report art on the streets is back! I noticed these amazing posters turning up on sites all over North East London,…
Castaways see survival in a fiery Scots loner.
From th Scotsman. PR expert Mark Borkowski said he believed the public appetite for such shows had not been sated. “The freak show was common in Barnum’s time and circuses were popular in the Coliseum,” he said. “This format has got the mixture of circus freak show, public humiliation and curiosity. As long as they have got casting right, we are still going to love it.” “http://news.scotsman.com/entertainment.cfm?id=381032007
Why PR is seen as synonym for propaganda?
I notice that David Brain, President and CEO, Edelman Europe has passed comment on his blog about who he would prefer to be the talking head for the PR industry. “No disrespect to Mark Borkowski or Max Clifford, but I’m so much more comfortable having the industry represented by a character who is as good on presentation and personality as he is on content on the big issues of the day.” Mr Brain obviously was impressed by Colin Byrne’s performance on Question Time last night. I revere and admire Colin, an operator that has a proven ability and track record,…
MOSES SUPPOSES
The Borkowski poet in residence on the crisis engulfing broadcasters including ITV, Channel 4 and Channel Five over premium-rate interactive services. Moses supposes his toeses are roses and that no TV phone in’s been fixed but Moses supposes erroneously; his chance of winning’s been nixed. Moses suggests that footballs are breasts, that if he says they’ll pay straight away but Moses’ suggestion is open to question because the prize funds have been cachéd. Moses insists that nothing’s amiss, pays one pound a minute and is fleeced. For Moses’ sake I would strongly suggest that TV quizzes are better policed.
Spanner throwing and Obama
Barack Obama’s presidential nomination campaign looked like it was steaming ahead perhaps a bit too smoothly. The headlines this weekend, “Obama ancestors owned slaves, a researcher found” http://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2007/03/04/obama_ suggest that some dark force had a reason to throw a spanner in the bandwagon. Pals of mine in the U.S. had suggested Obama would be an antidote to the political spin game and many thought he would escape the bondage of PR consultants. I rfeckon his initial success and a measure of his power has frightened certain quarters of Republican America, and this research has been used to undermine his campaign. …
The Son of The Sheik (1926) Rudolph Valentino
The sexiest dude of the silent movies hyped by non other than the great Harry Reichenbach. How I would have loved him as a client, but unfortunately the publicist and the star fell out. Its suggested that there was a mighty crash of egos.
Valencia – Inter FIGHT a proper PR crisis
A full on PR meltdown, somebody with extraordinary image management should be employed to try and turn around the mess Italian football finds itself in, the scenes after last night’s brawl further exasperates the issues. Watch the scenes at last night’s game between Inter and Valencia. This clip shows the fighting that broke out after the 0-0 draw at the Mestalla Stadium,a result which put Valencia into the quarterfinals on the away-goals rule after the 2-2 draw in the first leg in Milan two weeks ago. As the final whistle blew, Inter midfielder Nicolas Burdisso attacked Valencia defender Carlos Marchena,…